Car-truck



(No Model.) 6 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. A. BRILL.

GAR TRUCK. No. 554,233. Patented Feb. 11, 1896.

WI T NESSES (KW/ 5M ATTORNEY (No Model.) 6 Sheets-Sheet 2.

JVA. BRILL.

OARTRUGK. No. 554,233. Patentd Feb. 11,1896.

WITNESSES 11V VEN T 0R ATTORNEY (Nd Model.) 6 Sheets-Sheet 3.

J. A. BRILL. UAR TRUCK.

No. 554,233. Patented Feb. 11, 1896.

WITIQVBESSES: INVENTM' 4 I V r w wz fl, fi

ATTORNEY 6 Sheets-Sheet 4.

ATTORNEY J. A. BRILL. GAR TRUCK.

(No Model.)

No. 554,233 Patented Feb. 11, 1896.

WITNESSES J. A. BRILL.

- 6 Sheets-Sheet 5.

(No Model.)

GAR TRUCK.

N0. 554,Z33.- Patented Feb. 11, 1896.

I la INVENTO 9.4 a.

ATTORNEY ZWMw /Y w WITNESSES: @W/i? 7 V (N M l-) 6 Sheets-Sheet 6.

.J. A'. BRILL.

GAR TRUCK.

110. 551,233. Patented Feb. 11,1896.

' WITNESSES .f 1 IN VEN T 0R ATTORNEY NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN A. BRILL, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

CAR-TRUCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 554,233, dated February 11, 1896. Application filed July 5, 1894- fierial No. 516,553. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN A. BRILL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car-Trucks, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has relation to running-gear for street-railway or other cars whereon the axle-box pedestals are rigidly secured to the longitudinal sill-pieces of the car-body.

The main advantage derived from securing the pedestals to the car-body sill-pieces is one of economy in construction, as but two pairs of wheels need be used for the car. however, long been recognized by those engaged in the art to which my invention pertains that such described connection of the pedestals to the car-body has its disadvantages in that the two pairs of wheels mustbe so located relatively to one another and to the transverse center line of the canbody, proportionately to the gage of the trucks, as to admit of the wheels turning or traveling on the short curves incident to streetrail ways. This central location of the two pairs of wheels necessarily restricts or limits the length of the car-body, and even with the length of the car-body used causes their ends to overhang to an undue extent, resulting in undue vertical vibration of the same and tendency to raise the forward wheels from the tracks, which imposes additional work on the motive power and increases the liability of the car jumping or running off the trackrails; further, as the axle-box pedestals are rigidly affixed to the car-body the movement of the wheels and axles in turning a curve produces undue friction and grinding of the axle journal-boxes in their bearings and also of the wheels on the rails, resulting in undue wear of said parts and additional work for the motive power. It has, further, longbeen recognized by those skilled in the art to which my invention relates that the above-described disadvantages might be overcome or avoided by providing truck-frames for the single pairs of wheels and pivoting or connecting the truck-frames near the ends of the carbody, as is done for the four or more wheel trucks for steam-railway cars; but as the truckframes for the single pairs of wheels have It has;

only one line of wheel-support upon the tracks it is essential that said frames be so constructed or pivoted to the car-body as to be unconnected or independent of each other, in order that the single pair of wheels for each truck-frame may separately move or conform to the curved portions of the track when traveling on the same, to avoid the friction and grinding of the wheels on the rails, and yet be incapable of such movement when traveling on the straight portions of the trackway to avoid jumping or running of the wheels off the rails. It is also essential that the truckframes be prevented from vertically rocking on the axle journals to avoid raising the wheels from the track-rails and liability of the car jumping the track when traveling upon either the curves or straight parts of the roadway. The accomplishment of these described functions or results is the object of my invention, and to this end I mount each single pair of wheels upon a truck-frame and connect the latter to the car-body by rub and pivot plates so constructed and arranged that the truck-frames -are independent of each other or are unconnected, are incapable of rocking vertically upon the axle-journals and of swinging or moving laterally when traveling upon the straight portions of the track,

but are capable of making such lateral swinging movement on curves to admit of the wheels conforming thereto, such movement being controlled by the car-body.

My invention accordingly is embodied in a truck-frame for a single pair of wheels having the axle journal-boxes mounted thereon and rub-plates between the truck-frames and car-body, which rub-plates are located in different transverse lines and, if desired, so configured that when the truck-frames move or swing laterally the car body is by such movement raised or lowered to admit of the swing ing movement of the truck-frames and also of the gravity or load of the car-body controlling or limiting the extent of the lateral swinging movement of the truck-frames, the latter having or not having, as desired, a central king-bolt connection with the car-body, which king-bolt when used is provided with a downwardly acting spring pressure to maintain such connection and admit of the vertical movement of the car-bodyasit turns a curve or correspondingly moves under the influence of the lateral swinging movement of the truck-frames, all as hereinafter pointed out in the specification and set forth in the claims.

Reference being had to the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side elevation, representing a street-railway car and truck-frames for single pairs of wheels, showing a form of rub-plates between the car-body and truckframes for raising and lowering the car-body vertically as the truck-frames swing laterally on curves or other parts of the track, the brake-shoe and actuating mechanism therefor not being shown; Fig. 2, an elevation of one of said truck-frames and part of the sillpiece of the car-body drawn to an enlarged scale, showing brake-shoes and actuating mechanism therefor secured to said frame and central king-bolt connection between the car-body and truck-frame; Fig. 3, a plan of a truck-frame removed from the car-body; Fig. 4, a longitudinal section through the center of a truck-frame, drawn to an enlarged scale, showing more plainly the kingbolt connection between the ear-body and truck-frame, Fig. 5, a transverse section, partly in elevation, of part of the car-body and truck-frame; Fig. 6, a view similar to Fig. 1, showing modified forms of the truck frame and combined pivot and rub plates for connecting the car-body to the truck-frames; Fig. 7, a plan of the truck-frame shown in Fig. i; Fig. 8, a sectional view, drawn to an enlarged scale, of the combined rub and pivot plate shown in Fig. (3; and Figs. 9 and 10, plans showing different styles of truck-frames and different modes of locating thereon the rub-plates or combined .rub and pivot plates.

A represents the car-body of the usual or any suitable style or form, 13 I3 the single pairs of wheel, and C C the truck-frames therefor, located adjacent to the ends of the car-body as shown or as desired.

Thetruclcframes consist preferably of the upper and lower arch-bars c 0, respectively connected by end cross-bars 0 0 of channeliron, preferably as shown, and central pillars or columns c c for the axle-boxes c 0 which may be of the form shown in Fig. 1, wherein the boxes have on each side springseats c with openings through which the columns 0 0 pass and between which and the upper arch-bar, c, and surrounding said columns are springs c, or said boxes may be of the form shown in Fig. 6, wherein the columns 0 form guides for the boxes 0 and the springs c are located between the top of the axle-boxes and the upper arch-bar, 0.

At the four corners of the truck-frames, when made of rectangular or oblong form, as shown in Fig. 3, are represented rub-plates c, which contact or engage with other rubplates 0 secured to the bottom of the carbody. The disposition or location of these rub-plates is such that they are not all in line with the transverse center of the truck-frame,

and support the car-body at four different points at each end of the same, and they prevent the truck-frames from vertically swinging or rocking upon the axle-journals. The contactsurfaces of the rub-plates e may be of any suitable configuration. In Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, I have shown them having the oppositely-inclined surfaces 0" c with intervening flat or horizontal surfaces 0 which fit one another and keep the truck-frames in alignment with the car-body and avoid any needless lateral swinging of the truckframes when traveling upon the straight portions of the trackway, but which permit of such movement, duly controlled by the gravityof the car-body, when entering upon, traveling over, and passing away from the curves of the trackway. Thus when the wheels or axles laterally move to the right or left to conform to the curves of the trackway the truckframes correspondingly move, and in doing so one or the other of the inclined surfaces 0 c of the rub-plates c on the truck-frames slide or move upon the corresponding inclines of the rubplates 0 secured to the car-body, to first vertically and successively elevate the ends of the same and then admit of said ends correspondingly descending or returning to their normal position. This vertical movement of the car-body admits of the lateral swinging movement of the truck frames, wheels, and axles on the curves, and the extent of said swinging movement of the wheels and frame is limited or controlled by the load or gravity of the car to prevent the wheels jumping or running off the track-rails at the curves.

Any suitable lubricating devices may be used for the rub-plates or they may be manu ally oiled from time to time, as required.

Instead of arranging the truck-frames and the rub-plates 0" c as shown in Fig. 3 and as above described, the angles or corners of the frames may be located at the transverse and longitudinal center lines of the same and the rub-plates correspondingly located, as shown in Fig. 9, in which case a pair of rub-plates is located over or above the axlejournals and the remaining rub-plates occupy a position coinciding with the longitudinal center of the car-body, or all the rub-plates may be collected together in the form of an integral or other suitably-constructed annular ring 10- cated between the wheels concentric to the center of the truck-frame, as indicated in Fig. 10.

If desired, the inclined surfaces of the rubplates may be dispensed with, as shown in Figs. 0, 7, and 8, in which case they have tongue-and-groove contact-surfaces for admitting of the load or gravity of the car controlling or limiting the lateral swinging movement of the truck-frames.

The latter are pivoted or connected to the car-body in any suitable or desired manner, the pivotal connection in a measure depending upon the relative formation, construction,

and arrangement of the rub-plates. Thus for the form of rub-plates shown in Figs. 6, 7, and 8 said connections consist of bent plates or brackets d preferably secured to the car-body and. arranged to have their lower free ends enter the outside grooves d in each of the lower or truck-frame rub-plates, 0", to provide a number of combined rub and pivot plate connections between the car-body and truck-frames, or said brackets d and grooves d may be dispensed with and a central kingbolt used, as indicated by dotted lines G, Fig. 7. When the rub-plates are not tongued and grooved or are constructed as shown in Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, the central-king-bolt connection G is preferably used, in which case the truck-frames may be provided with any suitable form of bolster or bolster-framingF for the king-bolt G. The truck-bolster bars F, I prefer to make of channel or other suitable material grooved on its under side and with the channel or groove turned down, the endsf thereof being preferably filled up with blocks f, as desired, for suitable end bearings and for bolt connection (not shown) with the cross-bars 0 At right angles to the truckframe bolsters F are car-body bolsters a, through which pass the king-bolts G, and between bolsters a and F are washers or other rub-plates a hen the rub-plates having inclined contact-surfaces c c are used, the king-bolts G between the under side of bolsters F and plates g, suitably secured to the lower end of said bolts preferably, are provided with spiral or other springs g, which exert a downward pressure in addition to the load or gravity of the car-body and also serve to maintain the pivotal connection between the truck-frames and body as the latter makes its vertical movement for admitting of and controlling the lateral swinging or rocking movement of the truck-fram es when said inclined-contact-surface rub-plates are used.

The employment of the grooved or channeliron bolster F, as described, affords ample space between the axle and the channeled part of the bolster F for a suitable length of spring g, as well shown in Fig. 4.

The single pairs of wheels are provided with suitable brake-shoes and actuating mechanism therefor mounted upon the truck-frames, which actuating mechanism is connected or is in gear with any suitable hand or other operating lever on the car-body.

In Fig, 2 I have shown a preferable form of brake mechanism, wherein it h are the brake-shoes, located one on each side of the wheel and connected by beams h hinged or linked, as shown at 7L2, to brackets or hangers 7L3 secured to the trucleframe cross-bars 0 To one of the brake-beams is pivoted a lever W, the lower or one end of which has a link connection 71 with the other brakebeam of the truck-frame, so that asingle movement of the lever 71 in one direction applies both brake -shoes and its reverse movement releases the same.

From the foregoing it will be noted that the truck-frames for the single pairs of wheels support the brake-shoes and actuating mechanism therefor; that the truck-frames cannot rook vertically upon the axle-journals, and that their lateral swinging movement is limited and controlled by the load or gravity of the ear-body.

I do not confine myself to the details of construction shown, as it is obvious that they may be varied without departing from the spirit of my invention, parts of'which can be employed on four-wheeled pivoted trucks.

hat I claim is-- 1. A car-body, and a truck pivoted thereto having a single pair of wheels and an axle therefor, combined with truck-bearings on the truck-frame, the bearings having aligned and oppositely and upwardly inclined contact surfaces merging one into the other, car rubplates having similarly-disposed but downwardly-inclined surfaces superposed on the bearings and secured to the car-body, and a spring coactingwith said rub-plates and bearings, and adapted to be compressed thereby when the car body is moved out of line with the truck, substantially as described.

2. The combination with a car-body, of a truck-frame pivoted thereto and having a single pair of wheels and an axle, a part of the truck-frame at the corners extending transversely of the truck and part at an angle to the axle, truck-bearings located at said corners, said bearings having aligned and oppositely and upwardly inclined contact-surfaces merging one into the other, and superposed car rub-plates having similarly-disposed but downwardly-inclined surfaces, and a spring coacting withsaid pivot and adapted to be compressed by the bearings and rub-plates when the car-body is moved out of line with the truck, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with a car-body, and a truck pivoted thereto over its axle, of a bearing for the car-body having a .reversely-inclined contact-surface, a coacting truck-bearing, and a spring coacting with said truckbearing adapted to be compressed by the reversely-inclined surface of the body-bearing when the car-body is moved out of line with the truck, substantially as described.

4:. The combination, with a car-body and truck-frame, of circular-arc and compound reverse-incline rub-plates and bearings upon the truck-frame and car-body, one of which is grooved to receive a tongue on the other to prevent lateral displacement, and one of which is also grooved to receive a circular-arc guide moving with the other to prevent vertical displacement, substantially as described.

5. The combination, with a car-body and truck-frame, of a circular-arc and compound reverse-incline rub-plates, car rub-plates and triiclebearings tongued and grooved to prevent lateral displacement, said car rub-plates and truck-bearings being also provided, one with an exterior circular arc horizontal groove, and the other with a corresponding rib in said groove to prevent vertical displacement, substantially as described.

6. The combination with a car-body and a truck-frame, of rub-plates, bearings for the car-body upon the truck-frame having inclined contact-surfaces adapted to raise the car-body when diverted at an angle to the line of the truck-frame, and a spring bearing against the truck-frame and car-body and tending to restore the car-body to its normal position by being compressed when the carbody is raised, substantially as described.

7. A separate truck-frame and a car pivoted thereto and supported thereon over the axle of the truck, said truck-frame having a portion extending longitudinally beyond the axle,combined with a spring-supported truckbearing and a rub-plate having aligned and oppositely-inclined surfaces secured to the ear and to the truck-frame on said extended portion of the truck, and located in the longitudinal center of the truck-frame, substantially as described.

8. The combination with a car-body, and a truck-frame,the car being pivoted to the truck over an axle thereof, of coacting car rubplates and truck-bearings spring-supported over an axle, and a coacting truck-bearing and car rub-plate having an aligned and reverse-incline contact-surface, the truck-bearing being spring-supported on the truck adj accnt the axle and in line with the longitudinal center of the truck, substantially as described.

9. The combination with the car-body and the truck pivoted thereto, a center bearing, the car and truck having reverse-incline rubplates, a pivot pin or bolt, a spring on the bolt, a seat for the spring secured fast to the bolt, and a seat on the spring to receive the weight of the car, substantially as described.

10. A car-body and a pivoted truck-frame, wheelsfor the frame, and the interposed coacting rub-plate C and bearings (2 each having compound reverse-incline contact-surfaces comprising the mediate horizontal portions O and upwardly-inclined portions C converging from the said mediate portions, substantially as described.

11. The combination with a truck having end cross-bars 0 the brackets 7L3 extending inwardly from the cross-bars and secured thereto, links 712 pendent from the brackets, shoes on the links, beams connecting the shoes, and an upright lever 7L pivoted to one beam between the formers ends, and a link connection 7L5 engaging the lower end of the lever 7L4 and the opposing brake-beam, substantially as described.

Signed at Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, this 2d day of July, 1894:.

JOHN A. BRILL.

Witnesses:

EDWARD L. McMANUs, CHAS. S. BAXTER. 

